By Shantanu Basu
The demand for gaming in India has been increasing by the day. According to the 'State of India Gaming' report by gaming and interactive media fund Lumikai in collaboration with Google, there have been 15.4 billion gaming downloads in FY23, putting India on par with the biggest gaming markets worldwide. One development that has been changing the gaming industry is the transition into cloud gaming. In 2023, the Indian market had around 498,000 game consoles. However, this number is projected to steadily decrease by 1.2 per cent in the coming years.
To this end, many are beginning to ask questions about whether traditional gaming consoles are slowly becoming obsolete.
The cloud gaming model is not a new thing but it's 5G that breathes life into it. High-speed and low-latency connections will unlock the potential for gamers to stream even the most demanding AAA titles without any lag or glitches. No more downloading and no more hardware constraints mean that games can be accessed from just about any device with an internet connection. Does this mean we're going to write off consoles altogether?
Not exactly. Although 5G provides an extraordinary boost to the experience of cloud gaming, there's more to the story. It's not a death sentence for the console, it's the change of the game ecosystem.
Why Consoles Aren't Dead Yet
Consoles have made something unattainable with the best cloud gaming services -the kind of performance and immersion one would love to experience. There's something about owning a physical console that resonates with millions of gamers across the globe. The appeal of control, customisation, and consistency. Seamless as it can be, cloud gaming still has to grapple with data caps, poor coverage in rural areas, and ownership issues.
Consoles are never just gaming machines. They're entertainment centres that provide streaming services, social connectivity, and a ton of exclusive titles you simply cannot find anywhere else. With the new advancements on PlayStation and Xbox, it's plain as day that there is still a whole lot of life left in traditional systems.
Exclusivity by Game Developers
On the whole issue, one point about the role of game developers and exclusive titles plays a very important role, and it is rather highly overlooked in most of the debate. Console manufacturers have these long-established relationships with developers; hence, they produce iconic exclusives. It will take a lot before cloud platforms give the same exclusivity and most gamers will be orientated to owning consoles.
Hybrid Model: Best of Both Worlds?
One shift that could shift the debate is the growth of hybrid models. Platforms such as Xbox Game Pass have cleverly married both worlds where users can play on their conventional hardware while also sometimes offering an alternative way of playing via the cloud. Many of these subscription services have now blurred that boundary such that people get to choose their preferred option to game on. If you are sitting on the couch, stashed with your console; if you are going anywhere or will be on the move with any mobile device; you have choices.
Role of 5G in the Future
5G should be a key enabler for gaming's future, but its biggest value may lie in augmenting rather than replacing older systems. A new generation of multiplayer experience may finally become possible with the introduction of 5G, with real-time connectivity spreading out competitive and cooperative fun around competitive games. Imagine playing an intense online game with no lag; 5G makes that happen.
Still, until the infrastructure is solid across all regions and data caps are relaxed, 5G will likely be an upgrade to, not a replacement for, traditional consoles.
A Coexistence, Not a Takeover
Are consoles dead? Not anytime soon. Though 5G and cloud gaming are changing the game, there is still a strong demand for dedicated gaming hardware in today's digital ecosystem. The future will be a mix of both, where a gamer enjoys cloud gaming when it is more convenient but competes with the power of consoles when they feel the need to be more immersive.
(The author is the Co-Founder and CTO, Lets Game Now)
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